Car-couplfng



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. E. HOYT. GAR GOUPLING. No. 545,202. Patented Aug. 27, 1895.

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CAR COUPLING.

Patented Aug. 27,1895.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

7WILLIAM E. HOYT, OF RAVENSWOOD, WESTVIRGINIA.

cAR-oouPLlNc.

SEECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,202, dated August27, 1895.

Application illecl April 1l, 1895. Serial No. 545,390. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom. it may concern.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. l-lor'r, a citizen of the United States,residing at Raveuswood, in the county of Jackson and State of Y'VestVirginia, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in car-couplers of the Janneytype, and has for its object to simplify and improve the construction ofcar-couplers of this description, with a view to materially strengthenthe drawhead particularly and the coupling device as a whole generally.

A further object of thisinvention is to construct the' pivoted knucklein such manner and to provide a locking-pin of such form and located insuch position that said knuckle will be automatically locked in-a waythat will equalize the pull and strain applied thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby, inevent of the draw-bar pin becoming broken or displaced, the draw-barwill be forcibly engaged with the opposing draw-head in such manner asto prevent the loose draw-bar from falling upon the road-bed, and, asvery frequently happens, causing derailment of one or more cars.

In order to accomplish the objects above mentioned, the inventionconsists in certain novel features and details of construction andarrangement, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in thedrawings, and pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective view of acar-coupler constructed in accordance with the present invention,showing the knuckle thrown out into position for coupling. Fig. 2 is asimilar view of the draw-head with the knuckle removed to betterillustrate the form of the segmental depressions in which the upper andlower arms of the bifnrcated knuckle travel. Fig. 3 is a detailperspective view of the gravity locking-pin. Fig. e is a verticallongitudinal section through the draw-bar, draw-head, and knuckle. Fig.5 is a plan view of the drawhead and knuckle in closed position with thegravity locking-pin in section. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of one end ofa car provided with my improved coupler and illustrating the manner inwhich the spring follower or plunger operates when the draw-bar pinbecomes broken or dislodged, the injured or detached draw-bar beingshown in section for the purpose. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of adrawbar with the jack for compressing the spring-actuated plunger shownapplied in operative position thereon.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in theseveral figures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the reference-numeral lindicates a draw-bar which is provided with a longitudinal perforationextending entirely ,through the same from end to end and alsothrough thedrawhead represented at 2. The draw-bar and its head are similar ingeneral construction and outline to the ordinary Janney coupler, withthe very important exception that the drawhead contemplated in thisinvention is not cutout centrally or formed with the usual centralrecess or cavity for the reception of the locking tongue or bar on theknuckle.V

To provide a draw-head with such central recess or cavity means tomaterially reduce the strength of the draw-head and to weaken theconstruction thereof to such an extent as to render the same liable tobe broken when an unusual strain or blow is applied thereto. ln order toremedy this serious defect in the construction of draw-heads, l leavethe draw-head solid at its central portion, with the exception only ofthe longitudinal perforation above referred to, extending through thedraw-bar and draw-head from end to end.

Instead of providing the draw-head with the usual cavity or recess inits centerl form said draw-head upon its upper and lower faces withsegmental depressions or recesses 3, the bases of which are inclined, asshown, said recesses or depressions being shallowest at the center anddeepest at the side edge of theV draw-head.

The pivoted kn nckle represented at 4 is correspondingly formed withupper and lower segmental arms, which correspond in general outline tothe segmental depressions or recesses 3 in which they travel. Thesesegmental arms, indicated at 5, are tapered in such manner as to adaptthem to fit snugly in said depressions 3, being thickest at or near theICO center upon which they swing, and tapering from thence to theirperipheral edges or the edges which are described in the arc of a circleof which the pivot of the knuckle is a center, said arms being thinnestat such peripheral edges. The knuckle pivot-pin 6 engagesvertically-aligned perforations in the drawhead 'and knuckle in a mannersimilar to the Janney coupler, and said knuckle is provided with theusual slotted nose having verticallyaligned perforations for thereception of the coupling-pin whenever the knuckle or other parts of thecoupler become inoperative for any reason; also enabling the draw-headto be coupled to another car having simply the usual link .draw-head.

8 designates a gravity coupling-pin which is substantially square incross-section and provided near top and bottom with notches 9 throughthe corner thereof', adjacent to the swinging edges of the upper andlower segmental arms of the bifurcated knuckle. rfhis coupling-pin isprovided with the usual enlarged and perforated head l0 for limiting thedownward movement thereof and providing for the attachment of the usualretainingchain. The coupling-pin 8 extends entirely through aperforation in the draw-head, said perforation corresponding in size andshape to said pin,the latter being adapted to work freely therein and toact by gravity.

In order to permit the knuckle to be vibrated outwardly preparatory tothe operation of coupling cars together, the pin is lifted sufficientlyto bring the notches 9 thereof into the same horizontal plane with theperipheral 0r swinging edges of the segmental arms of the knuckle. Thebifurcated knuckle may now be vibrated outwardly, the swinging edges ofthe arms 5 traveling through the notches of the pin. lfVhen thebifurcated knuckleis forced inward -by the action of the nose of anopposing knuckle, the inclined corners 1l of the segmental arms passbehind or within the vertical plane of the adjacent dat side of thecoupling-pin, whereupon said coupling-pin drops by gravity as far as thehead thereof will allow, the notches passing beneath the horizontalplane of the swinging edges of the segmental arms, the inclined cornersof which afterward bear against the adjacent flat side of the pin,thereby effectually locking the bifurcated knuckle both above and belowthe draw-head and perfectly equalizing the pulling strain on both thedraw-head and the knuckle.

It is a Well-known fact that a great many derailments are caused by thebreakage of the draw-bar pin and the consequent escape of said draw-barfrom its socket beneath the car. In order to remedy this serious defectof construction, I extend the usual draw-bar pin indicated at l2 forwardor toward the draw-head sufficiently to bring the head 13 about Hushwith the front or operative face of the draw-head. The usual head orshoulder 14 of said pin is retained and is adapted to operate, inconnection with an internallyarranged shoulder 15, in the longitudinalperforation of the draw-bar for the purpose of limiting the backwardlongitudinal movement of said pin. A spiral spring 16 is disposed aroundsaid draw-bar pin and is tightly compressed between the shoulder 13 atthe advance end of the pin and the internallyarranged shoulder 15 withinthe draw-bar perforation. The pin 12 is normally held in place by meansof a small pin passing through a perforation in the draw-bar pin at therear end thereof, which small pin, indicated at 17, is usually supportedbehind a yielding-plate in a manner well understood. When for any reasonthe pin 17 becomes broken, or should the pin or plunger within thedraw-bar break, the head 13 of said pin is forced outward by the spring1G and caused to firmly bind against the nose ofthe knuckle on thedraw-head of the adjacent car. With the knuckles of the two draw-headslocked together and the head 18 of the plungerbearing firmly against thenose of the knuckle, as just described, it will be apparent that as thecars separate the loose draw-bar will be Withdrawn from its car and beupheld and supported by the draw-bar of the adjacent car, therebypreventing said detached drawbar' from falling into engagement with theroad-bed and causing derailment of the cars. The particular form ofhifurcated knuckle and the absence of the usual locking tongue or bar ofthe Janney coupler, working within the centrally-arranged recess orcavity, leaves u the center of the draw-headfree fromall `ob-`structions and enables the spring-actuated plunger just described to actwith perfect freedom and with absolute certainty.

The coupling device as a whole and as above described, possesses' greatstrength and durability, retains itself in engagement with an adjacentdraw-head when for any reason it becomes detached from its car, and byreason of the particular arrangement of locking mechanism perfectlyequalizes the strain on the knuckle and draw-head.-

In Fig. 7 I have shown the jack, by means of which the spring 16 may becompressed and the springactuated plunger thrust back for permitting thesmall retaining-pin 17 to be .inserted through the perforation in therear ond of said plunger. This jack consists of a metallic open framesomewhat similar in plan to my improved knuckle, being pro` vided withsegmental arms 18 adapted to rest within the segment-al depressions inthe drawhead. Said arms are provided with perforations 19 'in alignmentwith the draw-head which receives the pivotal pin, said jack beingattached to the draw-head by means of said pin. The segmental arms arelocked in the same manner by the coupling-pin S and in advance of theperforations 19. Said arms are extended forwardly and inwardly acrossthe center of the draw-head, where they are connected by a web20,provided with a screw- IOI log

threaded perforation in line with the longitudinal perforation in thedraw-head and draw-bar for the reception of a jack-screw 2lJ pointed atits inner end 22 to engage the head of the spring-actuated plunger andprovided at its opposite or outer end with an operatinghandle 23, asshown. After the spring has been compressed and the plunger l2 forcedinward and engaged by the retaining-pin 17, the screvwjack is removedfrom the drawhead and the regular knuckle applied in a manner that willbe readily understood.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any ot' the advantages of this invention,

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is

l. In a ear coupler, a draw-head formed with segmental depressions orrecesses in its upper and lower faces and provided with averticalperforation for the passage of a locking or coupling pin, incombination with a bifurcated knuckle pivoted to the draw-head upon oneside of the longitudinal center thereof and having an oppositelydisposed pair of segmental arms located above and beneath the draw-headand operating in said depressions or recesses, and a vertically movablecoupling pin notched to permit the outward and inward movement of saidsegmental arms and also adapted to engage said arms above and beneaththe draw-head and lock said knuckle in closed position, said pin beingdisposed upon the opposite side of the draw-head to that upon which theknuckle is pivoted, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a car coupler, the combination with the draw-bar and draw-headprovided with a longitudinal perforation extending through the same, ofaplunger rod located Within said perforation, and provided with ashoulder operating in connection with an internally arranged shoulderWithin said longitudinal perforation for limitingthe inward movement ofthe plunger, a head at the forward end of said plunger,a spiral springdisposed around said plunger and interposed between the head at thefront end thereof and the internal shoulder within the draw-bar, and aretaining pin passing through the rear end ot" said plunger andconnecting with the car body for holding the plunger drawn back, allarranged and adapted to operate in the manner specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

, WILLIAM E. HGYT. Witnesses:

R. B'WILLIAnsoN, V. M. JOHNSTON.

